Adhesive contact between a rigid sphere and a thin elastic layer bonded on a rigid foundation

Abstract

The adhesive contact between a rigid sphere and a thin elastic layer bonded on a rigid foundation is investigated using boundary element method (BEM). Surface profile is approximated parabolic. The Lennard-Jones potential and the Derjaguin approximation are used for the surface traction. In the past, the adhesive contact between a sphere and a thin layer was analyzed only in the frame of the JKR theory. In this article, the adhesive contact is investigated with different Tabor parameters and different layer thickness. The whole solutions are obtained. The results are compared with the current analytical models and the simulation for the adhesive contact between spheres. The restrictions of the analytical models are obtained. The empirical formulas for jump-in and pull-off distance are proposed.